Comcast HD Quality Reduction

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Comcast HD Quality Reduction

Picture_2 There's a great post on the AVS forum about Comcast HD Quality going down, featuring screenshots and analysis.

A few months ago, I switched from Comcast to FiOS for more HD channels and a lower monthly price and I did notice that non-HD channels definitely looked better and HD channels were about the same. I have wondered how Comcast keeps playing catch-up with FiOS and the Dish Network -- in my last month or two of having Comcast it seems they were adding new HD channels every month. I know fiber has a ton of bandwidth available, but I wasn't sure how Comcast was figuring out how to stuff more channels into their old coax lines. Looks like according to this AVS forum post, they're reducing the quality of the HD channels to fit more channels in their available bandwidth.

by Matt Haughey March 31, 2008 in News

Comments

This is absolutely of true of Comcast in Huntsville, Alabama.

Shows on Sci-Fi HD and USA HD are often unwatchable because of MPEG artifacting. MHD is mostly completely unwatchable (well, 90% of the programming on that channel is already unwatchable, but I've tried to watch some concert films and they're like watching YouTube videos).

Major network HD channels are great. I don't have pay channels, so I can't compare there...

Posted by: Christopher Palmer at Mar 31, 2008 4:41:22 PM

I find that the HD channels are unwatchable most of the time. The motion is usually very jerky.

Posted by: Mike Cohen at Mar 31, 2008 5:13:35 PM

I have Cox Cable in FFX VA and it looks like I have satellite in the rain forest. I asked a tech (setting up my cable cards in my TiVo, had to lie and tell them it was for a TV) if the reason the HD channels looked fuzzy was because they were degrading the signal. I was using their 1080i cable dvr. The answer was my old standard TiVo, it wasn't plugged in. Then it was my cables in the house not being quad shielded, we have a plan that covers all internal wiring which I confirmed with my wife there, the story then changed to the cameras used to film the HD content. Either way, channels still get bad, I have to call them and have them "fix" it every six months or so. Can't wait to see YouTube on my HD tv at 480i SD for $200/month.

Posted by: Greg at Apr 3, 2008 7:39:06 PM

They've learned their lesson from DISH.

Posted by: Eideard at Apr 9, 2008 7:44:04 AM

I like HD better than blue ray, maybe because I got a HD unit

Britec www.britec.org.uk

Posted by: Brian at Apr 23, 2008 3:27:02 AM